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Cultural Conversation: The Art of Remembrance

Featuring artist John W. Jones

Join us for this special conversation with artist John W. Jones, who created the painting featured in our current exhibition, "To Be Sold: Enslaved Labor and Slave Trading in the Antebellum South."

Join us for this special edition of our Cultural Conversation Series, entitled "The Art of Remembrance: Honoring the Enslaved Through Paint." John W. Jones, the artist behind AARLCC's current exhibition, "To Be Sold: Enslaved Labor and Slave Trading in the Antebellum South," will discuss how he became involved in this project, as well as his approach to treating the victim of chattel slavery with dignity and respect. 

John W. Jones is a self-taught American artist from Columbia, South Carolina. Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1970, he served in Vietnam, where he became an Army Illustrator. Jones gained acclaim for his series "Confederate Currency: The Color of Money," which examines the portrayal of enslaved individuals on Confederate banknotes, highlighting how enslavers used these images to normalize and propagate the institution of slavery. His work often juxtaposes historical documents with vivid paintings, offering a critical lens on America's past. Jones's art has been featured in numerous exhibitions and is part of several public and private collections, including the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site.

Jones' artwork featured in "To Be Sold" delves into the harrowing realities of the domestic slave trade in the American South, drawing inspiration from Margaret Seidler’s revelatory book, Payne-ful Business: Charleston’s Journey to Truth, and the evocative artwork of John W. Jones. Through a compelling blend of historical documents and visual art, the exhibition sheds light on the human stories behind the commodification of enslaved individuals, offering a profound exploration of a painful chapter in South Carolina and American history. Central to the exhibition are authentic 19th-century slave advertisements, meticulously researched by Margaret Seidler, a Charleston native who bravely confronts her family's legacy of three generations of enslavers. These historical artifacts are brought to life through the vivid paintings of Jones, who reimagines the lives and identities of those enslaved. Jones's artwork, known for its historical accuracy and emotional depth, serves as a powerful counter-narrative to the sanitized depictions of slavery, emphasizing the resilience and humanity of the enslaved.

The exhibit, "To Be Sold: Enslaved Labor and Slave Trading in the Antebellum South," allows visitors to have a transformative experience of the past in deeply moving and educational way while fostering a space for reflection and dialogue.

"To Be Sold" is currently on display at AARLCC through Saturday, December 27, 2025. 

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